MacBook Air M1 stuck at recovery mode + odd behaviour

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Level 1

11 points

MacBook Air M1 stuck at recovery mode + odd behaviour

Hello,

Yesterday my M1 MacBook Air restarted itself and got stuck in the recovery mode. After browsing the web I managed to start it up with key combination: Control+Option+Shift. However, after closing the lid it happened again.

After reading all of the suggestions I could find online, I did the following:

In the recovery mode - choosing the Macintosh HD as the startup disc does nothing - the system tries to boot and than it goes back to the recovery mode,
Safe Mode is not working,
Disk Utility shows no errors,
So, I tried to reinstall the system from the Recovery,Options Menu and it did not help. I could not start the computer at all,
With another computer I created a bootable installer with Ventura, installed the latest version and it also did not help,

At that moment after the system installation, the computer was again stuck in the recovery mode and after several tries to start it up it shut off and stopped reacting at all. It became a brick.

So, with an use of another Mac I used the Apple Configurator and did the "revive" and "restore" procedures which brought my Apple back to life.

However, the problem is still there. When I try to restart it, it is again stuck in recovery. The only way I can turn it on (have the system to load) is the keys combination Control+Option+Shift. Odd enough, I just talked to an Apple support via telephone and the consultant claims that this key combination should not work with the M1 machine at all.

Any idea what I can do to solve the problem?

Anny support will be highly appreciated - thanks in advance.

MacBook Air 13″

Posted on Aug 7, 2023 2:33 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

itsanthonyc

Level 1

12 points

Jan 9, 2024 8:46 PM in response to marcin176

Hey, any update on this? I am having the EXACT same issue. Only thing that lets me boot up to the operating system is the 3 key combination. I have to do it every single time I restart or it goes straight to recovery which i am not invoking. Even if I am not pressing on any keys.

Question, is your TOUCH id working? When in recovery or operating system if you press your power button does anything happen? For me nothing happens and a diagnostics show that my Touch ID is not working... however my power button works only to turn the mac on. It does not work to shut the mac down.

Did you get this resolved? Any advice would be much appreciated.

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Answer 2

Sil__

Level 2

206 points

Aug 7, 2023 2:44 AM in response to marcin176

Hello there!

Personally, I would suggest going to a Genius Bar or contact Apple Support, because you have been through some troubleshooting and it didn't work.

They can check physically what's wrong with your MacBook.

Hope it helps, and good luck with this problem!

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Answer 3

PRP_53

Level 10

92,275 points

Aug 7, 2023 6:53 AM in response to marcin176

Then have a few suggestions ;

1 - Get Support Choose a product and we’ll find you the best solution.Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues .

2 - Product Feedback - Apple and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

92,275 points

Aug 7, 2023 2:51 AM in response to marcin176

If you don't have a Mac with Apple silicon or the T2 chip

Looks much like an SMC Reset keyboard combo.

FYI - All M1 / M2 Apple Silicon Computer Do Not have a SMC

Follow these steps on older computers that have neither Apple silicon nor the Apple T2 Security Chip.

Laptop computer

Shut down your Mac.
On your built-in keyboard, press and hold all of these keys:

- Shift on the left side of your keyboard
- Control on the left side of your keyboard
- Option (Alt) on the left side of your keyboard

If you have Mac with Apple silicon

Make sure that your Mac is plugged into power, then take one of these actions.

Restart: Choose Apple menu  > Restart.
Or shut down: Choose Apple menu  > Shut Down. Then press the power button on your Mac to turn it on again.

No other steps are necessary for Mac computers with Apple silicon.

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Answer 5

PRP_53

Level 10

92,275 points

Aug 7, 2023 4:41 AM in response to marcin176

Under normal conditions - to invoke the Recovery Mode Specific to Apple Silicon computer

It would require specific and purposeful actions on the part of the User ( you )

The Full details of gaining access to Recovery Mode are listed in below link

Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon - Apple Support (CA)

Excerpt from above

Start up your computer in macOS Recovery

On your Mac, choose Apple menu > Shut Down.
Wait for your Mac to shut down completely. A Mac is completely shut down when the screen is black and any lights (including in the Touch Bar) are off.
Press and hold the power button on your Mac until the system volume and the Options button appear.
Click the Options button, then click Continue.
If asked, select a volume to recover, then click Next.
Select an administrator account, then click Next.
Enter the password for the administrator account, then click Continue.
When the Recovery app appears in the menu bar, you can choose any of the available options in the window or the menu bar.

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Answer 6

marcin176 Author

Level 1

11 points

Aug 7, 2023 6:51 AM in response to PRP_53

Hello,

Thanks for your support.

Below you can find the screen shot of the computer model information.

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Answer 7

marcin176 Author

Level 1

11 points

Aug 7, 2023 3:10 AM in response to PRP_53

Thank you for your kind replies!

Apple Support was not very helpful. As I wrote before they claimed that this key combo should not even work on my computer, yet this is the only way I can start it up. Unfortunately Genius Bar is not available where I live. I suppose I will have to go to a service place.

@P.Philips - my MacBook is the one with Apple silicon so it should not require anything to reset SMC according to the instructions. But anytime I try to restart it, it goes straight to the recovery again.